NCJ Number
88215
Date Published
1981
Length
65 pages
Annotation
This study focuses on the experiences of parents and youth who were involved with Wisconsin's Dane County police, court and social service workers, court proceedings, and community agencies during 1978.
Abstract
The youths and parents who were interviewed for the study constitute a sample of the cases referred to Dane County juvenile court intake from January 1978 to January 1979. Procedures resulted in parent interviews regarding 52 different juvenile offenders and 20 interviews with the youth themselves. The 20 youths who could be located and agreed to be interviewed were similar to the intake population in the distribution of offense type. Two-thirds of the 18 apprehended by police were in the company of friends at the time and had been drinking or using drugs prior to their police contact. Reactions to the experience of being in the detention center were largely negative. The majority of those involved in court hearings felt somewhat positive about the fairness and thoroughness of the personnel and procedures, and about half felt that their experience with the juvenile justice system kept them from getting into more trouble. Parents felt that the most important factors contributing to the child's getting into trouble were the child's impulsiveness, friends' influence, attendance and behavior problems at school, and problems at home. Parents found police to be confident and polite, although somewhat quick to judge their child. Parents felt well-treated by the reception center staff, whom they saw as either acting as mediators or taking the child's side. Only 13 parents' children had been placed in the shelter home; most did not believe that the experience was helpful. Parents of first offenders tended to be more positive in their evaluations of the system. Fifteen tables are provided, and parental responses to questions are appended.